White House denies rumors Biden is heading to Camp David to discuss dropping out of race with family

The White House has refuted reports suggesting that President Joe Biden is contemplating withdrawing from the presidential race and allowing another candidate to be the Democratic Party's nominee. If elected for a second term, Biden would be in the White House through 2028 and would leave office at 86 years old.

A Saturday report from NBC News indicated that President Biden was expected to travel to Camp David on Sunday with his family to discuss the future of his re-election campaign. This report followed Biden’s lackluster performance at the recent presidential debate, which raised concerns among many, particularly Democratic pundits, about his age and cognitive ability to continue serving as president.

In response to the NBC report, a White House official stated, "The premise of the story is not accurate." The White House clarified that the trip to Camp David had been scheduled for weeks and added, "There is nothing more to it." The Biden family is also planning to take a family photo during their visit to Camp David.

Democratic Party leaders continue to dismiss the notion of replacing Biden on the ticket for the November election. A spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi’s office said, “Speaker Pelosi has full confidence in President Biden and looks forward to attending his inauguration on January 20, 2025.  Any suggestion that she has engaged in a different course of action is simply not true.”

Additionally, the party has enlisted the help of former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, who have issued statements defending Biden despite his poor debate performance. Clinton is currently 78 years old, while Obama is 63.

Ultimately, the decision rests with President Biden and many delegates have already been allocated to vote for him at the upcoming DNC. Following the debate, the president has further attempted to ease the concerns of voters and even donors who are skeptical of his potential to be re-elected following the debate. Biden bluntly addressed the criticism at an event on Saturday where he said, "I understand the concern about the debate — I get it," and admitted he "didn’t have a great night."

According to NBC, one person close to Biden described his mood as humiliated, devoid of confidence, and painfully aware that images of him appearing confused during the debate could be damaging to both his campaign and presidential legacy. Another source close to Biden suggested that First Lady Jill Biden’s opinion will significantly influence the President’s decision.

“The only person who has ultimate influence with him is the first lady,” the source said. “If she decides there should be a change of course, there will be a change of course.”